AboutDenny Expertise Greece on a budget, The Islands, Mainland, Athens and its burbs. For the basics on getting around...maybe I can help...I go there yearly and you can`t be as cheap as me .
Experience Worked & lived in Athens area for 5 years. (78-83 Was AFRS Radio Announcer (Denny West)at the time. Last visit: Mar/Sep 2005. Last time in Europe, June
2008 (Spain & Germany).
Organizations Janesville Library (I have a card)
Publications Stars & Stripes
Education/Credentials I have a BS degree from UTSA, guess that means I can expound on just about anything ?
Awards and Honors USAF Broadcasting's 'Thomas Jefferson Award'
Past/Present Clients I am NOT a travel salesperson.
We are a group of 6 recent college graduates traveling to Greece for a few days on a European backpacking trip. We will be there for about 7 days, but want to spend a majority of the days (5) island hopping. Saying we are going with no-plans is an understatement. And we don't necessarily want hard-set plans, either, but were wondering what you might suggest for a trip such as this. We would love to spend some nights on the beach and won't be staying anywhere fancy other nights - mostly hostels. We don't know much about the islands, so what are your picks for the neatest ones to visit, what would fit in our time frame, if we should reserve rooms in advance and any great advice for activities "off the beaten path." Thanks!
Answer Yiasou Alyson, Thank you for your question,
Forgot to mention WHEN you are going. Important, because if is in July or August, it will be very crowded & there are times the ferrys will not take passengers without places to stay on certain islands ... IE : Mykonos / Santorini.
Islands are grouped together as well as scattered.
The CYCLADIC group is easiest to get to and most popular.
THE most popular: MYKONOS and SANTORINI.
Mykonos for fun and photo ops and fabulous beaches,
Santorini for its awesome beauty...probably the most photographed of all the islands & an island with outstanding scuba diving.
Naxas has great beaches, IOS is for hard core drinking, partying uninhibiteds...a youthful crowd...Also a great camp site..."Far out Camping" ...
IF you go to MYKONOS and the room hawking locals greet you at the boat, that is good...means there are some rooms available. If you want to get away without paying...walk past them, go into town...browse, shop, visit a taverna or two, stay awake until the bars get going around MIDNITE, party all nite and then around 5 or 6 AM, catch the 1st bus to Paradise or super Paradise Beach and crash on the beach .
Camp sites are available on all the islands...the bigger islands...Santorini, Crete, Rhodes, Corfu have Hostels.
Crete is off by itself and too much for you to tackle unless you just want to stay there...lots to do...
Corfu and Zante are in the IONIAN chain and off to the WEST of the Peleponesse. KOS & RHODES are in the Dodecanesse off coast of Turkey ...a 12-hour ferry ride.
and LESBOS is off by itself in the sea to the NE, 50-Kliks off Turkey.
Soooo, go for one group...I prefer the Cycladic group for many reasons...Ionian side usually HOTTER, Too far to go to Turkish islands.
If you want an island that 'might' be off the beaten track try...AMORGOS, or the smaller island of NAOUSSA. Ferry transport availably fm Piraeus, Naxos and Paros.
NOTE: 75% of islands are alike ... the 25% makes the difference and brings out the crowds...MYKONOS ...just for fun and photo op...it's the town and the beaches (on Platy yalos / Paradise Beach side. Aslo has a WORLD CLASS club called Cavo Paradiso...Opens about 1:AM. VERY NICE...but expensive cover. Good hang out in town is Skandinavian bar (outside), and the square outside Pieros around midnite.
SANTORINI is Awesome...from the time of arrival and your 1st view of the cliffs to the sunsets on OI. The most photographed island of all and great scuba diving as well...
Pensiones should go for 30-40Euro a nite for 2 or 3 cots.
Hostels are slightly less, and offer great meeting places for students.
If you do go to CRETE...Caves of Matala...Red Beach and save the Turtles. Also a terrific hike place called the Samarion Gorge. Heraklion has a nice, cheap Hostel walking distance from port, the Ruins of KNOSSOS and not much else. Prefer Rethyno and the west toward Hania.
Ferry cost will depend on distance between islands.
anywhere from 10-to-30 Euro for the regular ferrys.
The Hydrofoils will cost you nearly 2X the cost and save you 1 to 2 hours on the sea. Take the REGULAR ones when possible. Reserve for Hydrofoils or Cats.
There are islands also located very near Piraeus. Aegina and Hydra are very nice and are just one hour and about 9-Euro away by ferry. Good for a 1/2 day trip. Nite life is not that great .
I missed alot ... anymore Q's don't hesitate to ask...
